The Immigrant Vote

Nuevo Mundo: Getting Visible
We all should value our voting privileges like this Mexican immigrant family.
By Natalia Muñoz (The Valley Advocate)

I know an 18-year-old who is the daughter of an undocumented Mexican. She is the GOP’s nightmare.

But for her mother, with whom I spoke about the upcoming Feb. 5 primaries, she embodies a dream that steadied her through nine straight hours of walking the day she set out to cross the border with her own mother 25 years ago.

She was 18 years old that day. The Mexico City native crossed over into San Clemente, Calif., in an arduous walk that began on the Mexican side at 9 p.m. and ended at 5 a.m. on the U.S. side. Twice the small group she traveled with was caught by la migra, now known as ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and returned to the Mexican side. On the third try in as many days the group made it and since then, this woman who has no legal status to be in the U.S. has raised a family while working six-day weeks.

And next month, her American-born daughter will vote in the state primary that will propel the candidates that much closer to the White House.

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